System for neurobehaviorual animation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a computer implemented system for animating a virtual object or digital entity. It has particular relevance to animation using biologically based models, or behavioural models particularly neurobehavioural models. There is provided a plurality of modules having a computational element and a graphical element. The modules are arranged in a required structure and have at least one variable and being associated with at least one connector. The connectors link variables between modules across the structure, and the modules together provide a neurobehavioural model. There is also provided a method of controlling a digital entity in response to an external stimulus.

What we claim is: 
     
       1. A computer implemented system for animating a virtual object or digital entity, the system including:
 a plurality of interconnected modules representative of a behavioural model, each module having at least one variable, at least one of the plurality of interconnected modules having a computational element linked to a graphical element, wherein the graphical element comprises a representation of the computational element, wherein the behavioural model comprises a directed graph of the plurality of interconnected modules in which the plurality of interconnected modules are arranged in a structure, wherein the system further includes at least one feedback loop and connectors that link the variables of the plurality of interconnected modules between the plurality of interconnected modules across the structure, and wherein the behavioural model is time stepped and is redrawn after one or multiple times of time-stepping. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer implemented system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of interconnected modules includes an audial or graphical or visual input and at least one of the plurality of interconnected modules includes an audial/graphical/visual output. 
     
     
       3. The computer implemented system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of interconnected modules represents one or more neurons. 
     
     
       4. The computer implemented system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein one or more variables represent neurotransmitters. 
     
     
       5. The computer implemented system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of interconnected modules are configured to represent a feedback loop between a basial ganglia, cortex and thalamus. 
     
     
       6. The computer implemented system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the behavioural model is configured to exhibit chaotic behaviour, depending in a nonlinear way on the past state of the behavioural model. 
     
     
       7. The computer implemented system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the behaviour model includes one or more central pattern generators. 
     
     
       8. The computer implemented system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of interconnected modules is an association module which links inputs and outputs of the module through variable weights. 
     
     
       9. The computer implemented system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the plurality of interconnected modules receiving an external stimulus, at least one of the plurality of interconnected modules providing an external output, at least one of the plurality of interconnected modules creating an association between the external stimulus and the external output, wherein an association exists between any one of the plurality of interconnected modules receiving an external stimulus and any one of the plurality of interconnected modules providing an external output wherein the associations affect future system behaviour such that the external output responds to a change in the external stimulus. 
     
     
       10. The computer implemented system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the association provides the system with a learning behaviour. 
     
     
       11. The computer implemented system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of interconnected modules creates an association between a first internal stimulus and a second internal stimulus or the external output. 
     
     
       12. The computer implemented system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the plurality of interconnected modules creates an association between a first internal stimulus and a second internal stimulus or the external output. 
     
     
       13. The computer implemented system as claimed in  claim 1 , operable to control a digital entity in response to an external stimulus, the system operable to receive data characterising the stimulus and operable to generate data defining a response for the digital entity, the system having a structure to allow a position of any one of the plurality of interconnected modules to be defined relative to any other of the plurality of interconnected modules, wherein the connectors are selectively adjustable to connect different modules of the plurality of interconnected modules to thereby change or adjust the behaviour of the digital entity in response to the external stimulus. 
     
     
       14. The computer implemented system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the time-stepping comprises: evaluating each of the plurality of interconnected modules based on its current inputs by running the computation element of the module, and copying outputs of the modules across the connectors, thereby updating the module inputs for the next time step. 
     
     
       15. The computer implemented system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the behavioural model is nonlinear and dynamically regulated through parametric physiological constraints to animate the virtual object or digital entity. 
     
     
       16. A method of animating a virtual object or digital entity, the method comprising:
 providing a modelling environment for constructing a behavioural model from a library including a plurality of interconnected modules each module having at least one variable, at least one of the plurality of interconnected modules having a computational element linked to a graphical element, wherein the graphical element comprises a representation of the computational element, wherein the behavioural model comprises a directed graph of the plurality of interconnected modules in which the plurality of interconnected modules are arranged in a structure, wherein the behavioural model comprises at least one feedback loop and connectors that link the variables of modules between the plurality of interconnected modules across the structure; and 
 time-stepping the behavioural model, and redrawing the model after one or multiple times of time-stepping the behavioural model. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the time-stepping comprises: evaluating each of the plurality of interconnected modules based on its current inputs by running the computation element of the module, and copying outputs of the module across the connectors, thereby updating the module inputs for the next time step. 
     
     
       18. A method of controlling a digital entity animated with a system as claimed in  claim 1  in response to an external stimulus, the method comprising:
 receiving data characterising the external stimulus; and 
 processing the data by the plurality of interconnected modules to provide an output defining a response of the digital entity to the external stimulus, 
 wherein the connectors are selectively adjustable to connect different modules of the plurality of interconnected modules, the method further comprising the step of altering a connection between one or more of the plurality of interconnected modules, or altering a variable in one or more of the plurality of interconnected modules in response to the output.